By James PersaudJuly 11th, 2008
Last Sunday in what has become if not the biggest softball cricket
Inter State tournaments, New York Softball Cricket League (NYSCL)
hosted its fourth annual mid summer classic, Independence Cup 08.
After three days of exciting cricket with team competing from as far
north as Canada and far south as Guyana it was all consummate to a
grand final between two of the better teams Guyana All-Stars and the
NYSCL XI.

All eight competing teams played three earlier rounds which started
on Friday morning, in group one Florida Cricket was number and NYSCL
XI number two, in group two New York Dream, New York Muslim cricket
and Guyana All-Stars were all tied up with the same amount of points.
The net run rate rule was used to determine which two teams would
move on to the next round, New York Dream team and Guyana All-Stars
came out number one and two respectively.

Guyana All-Star (166 for 7) got by Florida Cricket (75 all out) in
an affair that proved the Guyana bowling was just too much for Florida.
Over at 115 avenue in a much anticipated semi-finals between NYSCL
XI (150 all-out) and NY Dream team (131 all-out).
It was about 1:20pm under cloudy sky and a crowd well into the thousand
and by the end of the game the crowd had reached about three thousand
people, all who came out to support the NYSCL and softball cricket.
They came out expecting a big final and they got exactly what they
had come to expect from a NYSCL sponsored event.
The Guyana skipper Bobby Pahalad won the toss and after a long delay
deciding what to do, at one time taking all his players out to inspect
the pitch; he chose to bat on what looked like a good batting track.

Vicky Dhanraj and Seenarine came to the crease and Gummel Mathai was
given the ball, his first over was a maiden. Peter Sookdeo bowled
the second over and gives up a single to each batsman. Kris Shobai
kept a very defensive field and the batsman find runs very difficult
to get, the first boundary came in the third over a cover drive over
the top by Dhanraj, with the score on 24 in the sixth over Dhanraj
(16) was caught by Erapallai at cover point. Ravin Ivan batting at
number three batted very cautious as Seenarine (7) was bowled in the
next over by Javid Ali.

The score board moved on with singles and doubles as the bowlers bowled
a very tight line and length, especially Ali who finish with figures
of 5-3-3-2. K. Singh replaced Seenarine and after a big mixed up running
between the wicket he was gone without scoring, Frankie Baichoo (4)
came to the crease and seems to want to knock himself out of trouble,
made some big swipes and was never in control losing his stump to
Pooran.

Ivan (32) continued batting very cautious and together with Karan
Ganesh put on a sixth wicket 22 runs partnership before Ali beat the
defensive bat of Ganesh (9) removing his middle stump in the process.

Skipper Bobby Pahalad came to the crease with his team in trouble
and immediately started stroking the ball finding the gaps. Eleven
runs later Ivan was bowled by Pooran, Sukhra joined Bobby and added
a18 runs partnership, by this time Bobby (17) looked set for a big
score hooking Pooran for four and the only six of the game, but Pooran
bowled a slower ball causing Bobby to check his shot and Erapallai
doing the rest at cover. Nigel Briglall (1) was run out and Sookraj
was bowled by Anil leaving Dharampaul Singh not out on 1 and the innings
closed on 121 all out after 23.3 overs.

With NYSCL XI
needing to get 122 in 25 overs, Kris Shobai had to be happy with his
team’s success so far in the game. Kris who arguably is the
best softball cricket batsman came to crease with Pooran, with a standing
ovation by the crowd. Dharampaul Singh the left arm pacer running
in from the north end, send his first ball a little short and on the
leg, Kris checking his shot and sending a simple catch to Bobby at
mid on who made no mistake as the crowd just went silence.

Michael Persaud limped to the crease from an earlier leg injury, played
the next five deliveries without any trouble. Bobby bowling the second
over had Michael driving and missing outside the off stump, his fourth
delivery found the off stump and Michael was gone without scoring.
Pooran Beria standing at the non striker end watched as two of his
partners gone with only 2 runs (leg bye) on the board, Ravi Sahadeo
joined Pooran and the two struggled but survived and added 33 runs
for the third wicket, before Sahadeo (11) was caught and bowled by
Nigel, the score was 39 for 3 and half the overs finish.

Sunil Panday the hero of the first Independence Cup finals could only
remember being in this position before and on that Sunday afternoon
he had a tumultuous knock of 47 runs, but that was four years ago.
Panday (4) tries to hit Ivan out of the ground and was caught with
the total on 45, NYSCL XI was in trouble as the crowd became quiet
and the line for food and light refreshments become longer. The green
and yellow colors in the Guyana All-Stars sections of the crowd was
putting pressure on the NYSCL XI red and white section.

Erapallai Sahadeo joined Pooran who was batting solid and looked as
if he would stay to the end, Erapallai played himself in and looked
to be in good form stroking the ball with power. Pooran (12) was bowled
by Singh and Erapallai (13) soon follow bowled by Frankie Baichoo.
This brought two new batsmen to the crease Prashad Mahadeo and Javid
Ali, this pair brought the crowd to their feet as the young and speedy
running between the wickets causing problems for the Guyana fielders.
Javid had the crowd in stitches has he played his trademark reverse
swing shot with great success and together with Mahadeo challenged
the fielders and causing them to make mistakes. Javid (19) and Mahadeo
added a sixth wicket partnership of 47 valuable runs before Javid
was run out.

Gummel Mathai came to the crease with his team needing a few good
swing from him, he shuffle across to Bobby and lost his leg stump
without adding to the score. With NYSCL XI needing another 8 runs
for victory Peter Sookdeo was called upon to see his team home, Peter
was limping from a knee injury but refuse to have a runner. Peter
strokes the first ball over extra cover for a double. The next over
Mahadeo stroke the ball finding the gap scoring two conceptive doubles
and a single, the score was tie Peter knock the next ball over extra
cover and ran two to secure victory for NYSCL XI. Mahadeo finished
with 27 not out and Peter 4 not out and seven balls to spare.